Gulf: Night of conflict between the US and Iran. Targets struck in Qeshm, Bahrain and Kuwait

Today’s headlines: Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin has received a royal pardon, with the remaining three months of his sentence lifted; UN agency: the drop in funding risks worsening the plight of the Rohingya in Bangladesh; Boom in Indian tourists in Nepal, with a record number of visitors in May; Senior party official in Shanxi under investigation over the mine accident.

GULF - IRAN

Overnight, there were heavy clashes between the United States and Iran, as a truce appears increasingly fragile and diplomacy fails to reach a lasting agreement. The US armed forces struck Pasdaran targets on the island of Qeshm. In response, the Islamic Republic’s military retaliated with missiles and drones targeting the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet, as well as a US airbase and helicopters in Bahrain and Kuwait. In Kuwait City, the international airport was also hit and sustained damage. Iranian state television Irib reports that ‘multiple explosions’ were heard in Erbil, Iraq, and air-raid sirens also sounded in Saudi Arabia. Cross-border attacks are also continuing between Israel and Hezbollah: the town of Blat, in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon, has been hit, but so far the fighting appears to be sparing Beirut and there has been no dangerous escalation.

THAILAND

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has received a royal pardon and will not have to serve the remainder of his sentence. This was announced today by the Justice Minister, who stated that the tycoon – released on parole last month after serving eight months in prison – has had the final three months of his sentence, which were due to expire in September, waived. King Maha Vajiralongkorn granted pardons to selected prisoners to mark Queen Suthida’s birthday on 3 June.

BANGLADESH - MYANMAR - UN

The UN refugee agency warns that the drop in funding for humanitarian projects could significantly worsen conditions for the approximately 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, almost nine years after their flight from Myanmar. In a highly critical situation, human rights groups are struggling to sustain essential services. As global crises multiply and donor budgets tighten, the United Nations and its partners are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain support for one of the world’s largest refugee populations.

INDIA - NEPAL

After several years of fluctuations caused by political tensions, natural disasters, air accidents and increases in airfares, Indian tourists are returning to Nepal in record numbers, offering new optimism to an industry still striving to regain momentum. In May, Nepal welcomed 40,782 Indian visitors via air routes, the highest monthly figure on record, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. The figure marks a 32.66% increase compared to the same month last year and signals a clear turnaround in Nepal’s largest source market for tourists. Visa-free access, easier payments, the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage and affordable airfares are among the factors driving the recovery.

SINGAPORE - JAPAN

Researchers from Singapore and Japan have discovered a new species of highly toxic jellyfish near the artificial island of Sentosa. This is the first discovery of a jellyfish of the genus Chironex since 2017, adding a new species to one of the world’s most venomous groups of animals. Researchers from Tohoku University, the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and the Tropical Marine Science Institute at the National University of Singapore have named this new species Chironex blakangmati, after Sentosa’s original name: Pulau Blakang Mati. It is the fourth known species of box jellyfish of the genus Chironex in the world.

CHINA

A party official in the coal-rich northern province of Shanxi is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and the law”. This follows last month’s mining tragedy, in which at least 82 people died. Zhao Yongjin, from Qinyuan County, is “currently undergoing a disciplinary review and an investigation by the provincial commission for inspection and disciplinary supervision”. The investigation into China’s deadliest mining accident since 2009 has uncovered hidden mine tunnels, falsified drawings and outsourced, unregistered miners who had not been provided with the required life-saving locators.

RUSSIA - EU

According to Politico, citing diplomats in Brussels, the European Union does not plan to include a total ban on Russian oil in the 21st sanctions package, nor further restrictions on related maritime services. The main focus is on adjusting the current price cap mechanism for Russian oil, but proposals for a total ban do not enjoy sufficient support among European states.

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan plans to reduce the period for which unemployment benefit is paid from six to four months, as announced by Labour Minister Askarbek Ertajev, who stated that “before the pandemic, the period was four months, so we are returning to the previous system. Overall, there are job vacancies, and employers are currently offering around 117,000 jobs, so focusing on periods of unemployment makes no sense”.